Feudal Perspective
by jimark
Summary: The story of Harry Potter, but from an OC's Perspective. Samuel Armstrong-Mason is the last surviving member of both his Ancient and Noble Houses, and swears himself to HP after he destroyed LV. Hijinks ensue, watch a mix of less used characters and the usual suspects get up to all kinds. Sticks to Cannon as much as possible. NO overpowered characters, OOC, SI or bashing. Rated M.
1. Chapter 1: History

**This will be my first uploaded story, I have dabbled in writing, but personally I don't think I'm that good. Feudal Perspective will cover the story of Harry Potter mostly from the perspective of an OC: Samuel Armstrong-Mason, who is a bit of an odd one, but finds himslelf in a similar situation to HP (Orphaned by LV, Heir to an Ancient and Noble house). This is not a self insert (I personally don't like self inserts, one tends to blow their own trumpet too much). I aim to write my stories logically and realistically, as I dislike blatant macguffins, overpowered characters and Mary/Gary Su/Stu characters which I find a little too often in fanficton.**

 **FP (Feudal Perspective) as I will now refer to it now, will be rated M for freedom of writing, will stick to cannon as much as possible (JKR wrote some very good books), will be updated when I have time, pairings and ships will be cannon as much as possible (toying with a Samuel/2-4 witches ending). I will write lemons if I fancy it, though they will be in a seperate story, because some people like just smut, some people like a little smut, and some people don't like smut at all**

 **I hope you enjoy Feudal Perspective: The story of Harry Potter, but also of Samuel Armstrong-Mason and his Friends, Allies and Enemies.**

 **Magic just got more feudal.**

 **Feudal Perspective**

Chapter 1: History

Half a millennium ago, there were two friends. One was strong of body, blonde of hair, and a skilled transfigurer and duellist. The other was strong of mind, a master of runes, and grey of hair, though he was nearer to 20 than 30. They shared a bond stronger than blood, and swore their descendants would be allies eternally, son of one would marry daughter, and daughter of other would marry son.

No-one knows how or why, but one day, Henry Armstrong and Godric Mason and were found fighting each other. Armstrong fought with both sword and wand, but Mason carried 3 runestone belts, and after years of fighting at each other's sides, they found themselves locking eyes: purple against grey, neither able to defeat the other. Severely injured, they parted ways, both swearing revenge upon and cursing the other for betrayal and treason.

The feud stagnated, but never ceased. It became common curtesy to not invite a Mason and an Armstrong to the same party. The families sat upon opposite sides of the Wizengamot when it was established, and aligned themselves with different factions. The Masons became a 'light' family, producing many talented warders, runesmiths and beastmasters. The Armstrongs became a 'grey' family, dabbling in the dark, but staying neutral when Dark Lords arose, believing serving another beneath them.

500 years after it started, both families blaming the other for all mishaps and tragedies, two individuals met. Emma Armstrong was a fierce duellist, quidditch captain and troublemaker whilst Albert Mason was a bookish but dependable prefect and head boy. It was a massive surprise that not only were the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw dating in their final year, but married the year after. The move threw their families, who were desperately attempting to stay non-aligned in the brewing first wizarding war, into chaos.

The fighting was bloody. Albert's parents were killed after refusing to return Emma to her parents, and in revenge, Albert's sister slew Emma's Father and Grandfather. She, in return, was killed by Albert after she tried to turn her wand on Emma. Emma and Albert then went after her uncle, who was trying to align the Armstrong family with a wizard named Voldemort, cornering and killing him with several of Voldemort's followers. Only Albert's grandparents - expert warders and Albert & Emma had survived the feud. Emma's grandmother had thrown herself off a cliff when her son, the last male Armstrong, had been killed by the couple.

After all the bloodshed, they determinedly started their new Armstrong-Mason family, having twins – Miriam and Isaiah, then later, a second son, Samuel. Isaiah would take the Mason family name, Samuel the Armstrong, and Miriam would leave it hyphenated until she eventually married.

The family attempted to hide out the wizarding war at the Mason family stronghold, The Rock. Albert's grandparents meanwhile, lived in the Mason mansion nearby. Voldemort and his followers sought them out to assist his assault in the Ministry of Magic. He tore through their wards, and killed them when they refused to help him do the same to the Ministry of Magic's wards. This left Albert and Emma as the last surviving members of the ancient and noble houses of Mason and Armstrong.

Having failed to recruit Albert's grandparents, and the powerful but isolated couple hiding under the ancient wards on the rock, Voldemort resorted to tricking Emma out from under her protections, forcing Albert to come to her aid. Tragically, as he apparated, the twins were clinging to him, dragging them into the firefight, and unable to apparate out. The three duelled for over an hour, Simon was killed first, a gouging curse striking his heart. Emma fought like a woman possessed for another half hour, driven by grief and the knowledge her 2-year-old twins were behind her. She fought on as an organ rotting curse ate away at her insides until she met the same fate as her husband. The Armstrong-Mason family lost 2 members to gouging curses and 2 to Avada Kedavras that day.

Left behind at The Rock was Samuel Armstrong-Mason, last surviving member of the Ancient and Noble houses of Armstrong and Mason.

Alone.


	2. Chapter 2: Fears

Samuel Armstrong-Mason woke up from his dream. Samuel had known his family's story since he was 6

"It is important", said Old Mary, "That a young master knows his family history, that he know both their glories and their faliures".  
Old Mary knew all the Armstrong family history, as well as a surprising amount of Mason history (although it had a suspiciously higher amount of failures). She told other stories too, like of Harry Potter, the one year old who had looked Samuel's parents and siblings killer in the face and reflected a curse that was unlockable. Samuel owed that boy a great debt for his actions, whether he was conscious of them, or as Old Mary sometimes implied, not quite so.

Old Mary – the old castle nurse and Sir Wilhelmsson – the rusty and stern master of arms had been the only other occupants of the draughty, empty castle Samuel lived in. This was the Armstrong castle, Sir Wilhelmsson and Old Mary were Armstrong-sworn, and Samuel was half Armstrong. This all meant that he required tutoring and swordsmanship lessons to become a proper noble Lord and Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Armstrong. Old Mary had died when Samuel was just 7 years old, leaving Samuel, Sir Wilhelmsson and a single surviving house elf.

The 11th of March was like any other, he'd wake up at 7am, perform his ablutions, march down to breakfast, then Sir Wilhelmsson would train him in the Armstrong Form: Armstrongs were deadly swordspersons and wizards. The two of them stood with swords in their right hands, and wands in their left. Samuel only had a shortsword and a stick but Sir Wilhelmsson wielded a darksteel sword he had forged himself in his youth and a real wizard's wand in his off hand. Darksteel was a semi-living alloy that could channel the user's magic, as well as being both strong and light. Alchemist-Smiths had therefore guarded its recipe for millennia, only teaching it to one apprentice in their career.

Exhausted after 2 or 3 hours of exertion, Samuel retired to the library. When Old Mary had been alive she would be tutoring him until lunch and several hours afterwards. Now he just had a list of topics to study which Sir Wilhelmsson would quiz him on occasionally. In the afternoon, Samuel wandered the castle grounds, as he was liable to do, shortsword at his left hip, 'wand' next to it. Ever since he could walk, he would wander, both castle and grounds were vast, and several staircases and corridors did not always lead to the same place every time. Finding a door he had not opened before, he boldly strode in, sword and stick at the ready. Stood before him, was an empty room, with a closet at the back, covered in a sheet. He put his wand away and walked up to the closet, wishing all the while he could use magic. He pulled the sheet off and opened the closet door.

Sir Wilhelmson fell out of it, Dead.

There was a crippling silence, the Knight's corpse, the only Person Samuel had just lay there limp.

Samuel collapsed, the emptiness of the castle seeped into him, crushing him. He curled up into the foetal position, sobbing, and blacked out.

"RIDDICULUS"

-CHAPTER BREAK-

He was tucked into his bed. He opened his eyes, looking at him kindly, for the first time ever, was Sir Wilhelmsson.  
"Have I been killed Sir?" asked Samuel  
"No Samuel, you are not dead" replied the man before being cut off  
"B-But, your body Sir!"  
"is perfectly well, unlike yours Samuel"  
Samuel then felt a throbbing from his head.  
"You fell when confronted with your worst fear, many stronger and braver men have acted the same way when confronted with a boggart"  
"A boggart Sir?" inquired Samuel  
"A creature which inhabits dark, enclosed spaces, it takes the form of whatever the viewer fears the most, you fear loneliness, child"  
"Loneliness." Samuel stated, unimpressed.  
"An extremely mature fear Samuel. Come, drink this broth, then sleep. We have much to do tomorrow."  
"We do?"  
"It is your 10th birthday after all, and I fear I may not be long for this world, but preparations have been in place for a while, there is just one or two more things to sort out"  
Samuel looked up at the knight, though his eyes were the kindest he had ever seen them, he also looked very tired. He looked into his eyes, worried.  
"You shan't be lonely child, now sleep"

A few minutes later, just before he drifted off, Samuel thought he could hear the clank of hammer on anvil.

-CHAPTER BREAK-

Samuel woke from his dream, he had been saving a pretty red haired maiden from a dragon, having incapacitated the beast with sword and wand. He had quite enjoyed the dream. He trudged sleepily down to breakfast, and sitting at the table was Sir Wilhelmsson.  
"Good morning Sir Wilhelmsson"  
"Good morning Samuel, happy birthday"  
"Thank you sir" he replied, not expecting much. Samuel did not really get birthday presents, not that he minded, he only lived with 2 people, and both essentially lived to care for him. It was surprising then, that Sir Wilhelmson belayed sword practice, and took him into the armoury.  
"Since I am not always going to be here, and your swordsmanship is up to par, I have brought ahead certain plans."  
"What plans Sir"  
"Your Armstrong Entitlements" he answered cryptically. He then took out a dark blade from behind him. A Darksteel shortsword.  
"This is yours Samuel."  
Wide-eyed, Samuel took the blade, the moment he touched it, he felt it pulse, then grow comfortingly warm.  
"The blade is bonded" Sir Wilhelmsson stated, as the blade flashed a deep red once. "Mr Ollivander."  
An old wizard walked into the Armoury.  
"Sir Wilhelmsson, it has been a long time" said the wizard.  
"That is has Garrick. Wilhelm, if you please."  
"Certainly Wilhelm, what can I do for you?"  
"The Lord Armstrong-Mason requires his birthright."  
"He does does he?" Ollivander peered down at Samuel "Does my Lord require a wand of me?"  
"I do Mr Ollivander" Replied Samuel.  
"Excellent" He stated, tuning to Sir Wilhelmsson. "I assume you will want the traditional Armstrong Core." A thin, dark metal rod was handed to him. "I will need your assistance then, and the wood?"  
"My Lord has an affinity for Apple trees. I find him climbing in the orchard more than anywhere else, he consumes the fruit like a hippogriff in a stoat nest and describes an unexplained warmness from the wood." Stated Sir Wilhelmsson. Samuel remembered the warmth, similar, but calmer than that he had just experienced from his sword.  
"Excellent, I'm sure it will be most compatible, I have certainly missed contracted wand construction" Ollivander mused, "Curious, the owner of an applewood wand is said to be well loved and long lived"  
Samuel beamed, a long life filled with company was his dream, he wanted nothing more. The two old men left the armoury to find a suitable tree, and by the evening Samuel owned a darksteel shortsword, and his very own wand: applewood, darksteel core, 12 inches, stiff. Both were strapped to his waist, and he did not take them off again.

The day after Samuel's birthday, Sir Wilhelmsson passed away. Samuel constructed a pyre out of firewood and pointed his wand at it, tears silently rolling down his cheek.

"Incendio" he muttered, and the pyre went up immediately. He raised his sword above his head as he watched the smoke rise into the night sky.

Alone.


	3. Chapter 3: Godparents

Amelia Bones was having a long day. She was dealing with a sharp rise in muggle-baiting recently, all attributed to the same small group of delinquents. She thought she had a lead, but it turned out one of them was the scion of an Ancient and Noble house, and therefore, nigh untouchable. She returned to her office for lunch where she was met by a grey and black plumed owl clutching a letter with a seal she did not recognise at first. The seal was one half purple, one half grey, adorned with a crossed sword and wand on one side, and a castle on the other.

The Ancient and Noble houses of Armstrong and Mason. She sighed as she thought back to fond school day memories, working with head boy Albert Mason as head girl. The two had struck up a friendship in Ancient Runes in 3rd Year and she had had a crush on him for a while, but they had happily kept their friendship platonic. She also remembered her run ins with the Gryffindor troublemaker Emma Armstrong, before Albert had straightened her out, and in return she removed the stick from his arse. It was a pity the families were so stuck in the past, how much bloodshed had occurred because of love.

Amelia had instead married her job, and she was now one of the most powerful women in England as head of the DMLE, but she missed her friends, her family, and her brother, whose daughter Susan she now cared for like her own. All had died because of Voldemort, thank Morgana he was gone.

 _Lady Amelia of the Ancient and Noble house of Bones,_

 _It has come to our attention that your Godson was without guardian as of 13_ _th_ _March 1990. Our magics have indicated that according to the wills of the late Albert Mason and Emma Mason (nee Armstrong) and wizarding law you and Lord Marcus of the Ancient and Noble House of Greengrass are the magical guardians of:_

 ** _Lord Samuel Albert Armstrong-Mason,_** _  
Head of the Ancient and Noble house of Armstrong  
3 Wizengamot Seats  
Head of the Ancient and Noble house of Mason  
4 Wizengamot Seats  
Inherited Marriage Contract Daphne Greengrass  
Inherited Marriage Contract Susan Bones_

 _The wills request that yourself and Lord Greengrass act as Lord Armstrong-Mason's Wizengamot proxies until he comes of age, with you controlling the 4 House Mason seats and he the 3 House Armstrong Seats._

 _Bring your godson and Lord Greengrass to Gringotts post-haste so the arrangements can be finalized and bound._

 _Irongut  
Gringotts Will Department_

"Merlin and Morgana!" Amelia exclaimed.  
"Quite" Replied a face from her fireplace. Amelia turned to look, the head of Marcus Greengrass was poking out of her fireplace, looking quizzically at her.  
"I had forgotten about that betrothal contract" He muttered.  
"As had I" said Amelia, looking worried.  
"Still, they're not binding, there are escape clauses built in, we should keep them for leverage, and who knows, our girls may grow on the boy" He grinned "Besides, how are you Amelia?"  
"Should we tell Samuel and the Girls about the contracts?"  
"Not now, they are too young to understand, Susan and Daphne were betrothed to his elder siblings, now he has inherited the contracts. Let us not forget the boy must take 2 wives besides, lest he merge the houses and invoke the wrath of half the wizengamot. TWO noble houses going extinct? It'd be a travesty!"  
"Very true Lord Greengrass, and I have been well."  
"Lord Greengrass? You wound me Amelia? What would our godson say?"  
"I'm not quite sure Marcus, I've never met him"  
"That makes two of us, shall we pick the little sod up this afternoon?"  
"Marcus!"  
"Tomorrow?"  
"Now is fine, and you know that's not what I had a problem with"  
"You're so much easier to get a rise out of than my wife Amelia"  
"I'm sure she's just more used to it, how is she?" _  
_"You may have a point, tell you what, I'll bring her with" he disappeared from the fireplace as the sound of someone being slapped upside the head "Merlin, Sara!"

-CHAPTER BREAK-

Amelia Bones and Marcus & Sara Greengrass walked up to the front gate of Armstrong Castle, its 3 great towers looming over the surrounding forests and fields, its great gate shut.  
"So how do we get in?" Amelia questioned.  
"Oh, we just shout our business up at the gate and if it's true it lets us in" Marcus stated. Sara slapped her husband on the back of the head.  
"Ow, Merlin Sara, it's the truth" He said as she glared at him.  
"Amelia Bones, Godmother of Lord Samuel Armstrong-Mason here to meet my godson"  
"And Marcus Greengrass, His godfather, with my wife Sara Greengrass for the same reason"

The gates swung open slowly, and shut again once the guests had entered.  
"So where is he?" Asked Sara  
"Where is whom?" Called out a voice. Samuel walked out, wearing a grim expression, with his hands hovering over his left hip where his sword and wand were sitting  
"Are you Lord Samuel Armstrong-Mason?" Asked Amelia  
"Yes" He replied, hands not moving.  
"I'm your godmother, Amelia Bones"  
"Lady Amelia Bones, of the Ancient and Noble house of Bones, Ally to the House of Mason?"  
"Yes"  
Samuel walked up to Amelia, kneeled and kissed her hand  
"My Lady Bones, I welcome you to Armstrong Castle, I trust you have been well?"  
"Thank you my Lord, I have been." She made a face, the boy did not speak like it was the 1900s "May I introduce your godfather, Lord Marcus Greengrass and his Wife Sara Greengrass"  
"Lord Marcus of the Ancient and Noble house of Greengrass, ally of House Armstrong?" Samuel extended his hand  
"I am my boy, and your godfather to boot" Marcus replied, accepting an unusually firm handshake from a 10-year-old. Some of his business associates could take notes from this child.  
"And Lady Greengrass, a pleasure, I welcome you both to Armstrong Castle also" he kissed her hand, bowing. The adults exchanged worried looks.  
"Who looks after you Samuel" inquired Sara, looking about the deserted courtyard, noticing just how quiet it was.  
"I look after myself now, I have an elf who cooks too, Bugsy!"  
An old looking elf wearing a well worn purple pillowcase appeared  
"Would you make our guests some tea Bugsy? We'll take it in the great hall"  
"Certainly sirs, right aways" the elf disappeared with a crack. Samuel led them into the keep and toward the great hall.  
"We are always supposed to welcome guests into the great hall, well, that's how I understand it my Lord and Ladies. The wards state that you are here to meet me, is this just a social visit or is there something to discuss?" The group all sat around the end of a huge table which shrunk down to an adequate size, cups of tea and scones appeared in front of everyone with a milk decanter and pot of sugar on a tray in the middle.  
"Very cosy, excellent service" Marcus remarked "you should be very proud of your household members"  
"Household member Lord Greengrass" Samuel corrected "Bugsy is all I have left, Old Mary, the nurse passed away when I was 7, and Sir Wilhelmsson passed on in March.  
"Merlin, you were raised by two fossils?" Exclaimed Marcus, who was slapped on the back of his head by his wife "Hang on, who's been looking after you? Guardianship papers arrive immediately upon the death of the previous Guardian."  
"You are my first visitors since March when Mr Ollivander constructed my wand, the day after that Sir WIlhelmsson passed."  
Sara and Amelia looked shocked  
"You've been alone here since March? It's June!" Cried out Amelia  
"Are you aware what your parents will says happens next?" Asked Sara  
"Yes, I got a letter saying I should meet with you, Lord Greengrass and you, Lady Bones, as godparents and house allies, and confirm you as my magical guardians.  
"Would you like that?" said Amelia  
"Like a vassal or ward?"  
"We will be family" corrected Marcus  
"I'd enjoy that, my Lord."  
"Marcus."  
"Lord Marcus."  
"Godfather"  
Samuel Nodded. Marcus sighed.  
"May we call you Samuel, Godson of mine?"  
"If you desire to, my Lord Godfather."  
"How about Sam"  
"Don't push him Marcus" Sara edged in.  
"Worry not Lady Greengrass, I take no offence"  
Sara sighed.

-CHAPTER BREAK-

It was agreed that Samuel would alternate weeks between Bones Mansion and the Greengrass Estate for a few months before he decided where he wanted to live. Samuel looked forward to meeting children his age, and Susan Bones and Daphne & Astoria Greengrass sounded like wonderful girls. At least he wouldn't be alone.

Samuel wore his very best robes, he needed to make a good first impression, he doubted he'd made one on his Godparents: He hadn't had time to straighten his robes, clean his boots and fully wipe away the dried tears of relief that someone had finally come. It had been a bad 4 months on his own. He had only the books of the library for company, Samuel had been pouring through his family histories, both Armstrong and Mason, and Wizarding Law, to prepare him for taking the mantle of Lord Mason and Lord Armstrong, something no 10 year old ever had done before. There was of course, Lord Caesar Armstrong, who had claimed the lordship at 15, but your father being eaten by the last Sussex Widesnout Wyvern before it being slain is something you cannot really prepare for. Caesar had then made it his life's goal to continue his father's work to eradicate the Sussex Widesnout, and succeeded. Samuel's parents had been killed by the Dark Lord Voldemort when he was only a couple of months old, but Samuel he could not work to avenge them, as their killer had been destroyed by Lord Harry of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter.

Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived, Wizarding Saviour. Samuel could not find anything else out about the boy who he had so much in common with. Both orphaned months into their lives, both last male heirs to their lines, and Samuel owed the boy a debt for slaying the beast who caused the death of the rest of his extended family. He looked forward to meeting Lord Potter.

"Are you going to come in Samuel?" Asked Lady Bones, snapping Samuel out of his thoughts  
"My Lady Bones, I deeply apologise, I was deep in my thoughts" He replied, stepping through the door, the home wards sliding over him. "you have extremely powerful wards my Lady Bones"  
"This is our ancestral home, many Bones' have added to the wards over the years, are you interested in warding my Lord?"  
"I have made it my life's goal to rebuild the fortunes of both my houses, I intend to restart the Mason Construction and Warding Company when I finish my education."  
"A lofty goal my Lord, sorry, Samuel"  
"No apology is required My Lady Bones, you are my godmother after all, as well as my guardian. I am also a Lord, so formal tongue is facilitated."  
"As you wish Samuel" said Amelia. In truth, she was worried- the child, her godson, spoke years above his age, she had yet to hear him speak casually, she hoped when with people of his age, and station, he would slip back to normal.  
"Good Day to you Lord Armstrong-Mason" Came a voice from the far end of the Room "Hello Auntie!"  
"Hello Susan, this is your God-Brother, Lord Samuel Armstrong-Mason, Samuel, this is your God-Sister, Heir Susan Bones"  
"Pleased to meet your acquaintance Heir Bones, you are as beautiful as the tales of Bones women say, the spitting image of Mary Mason nee Bones, and of course your Aunt Lady Bones." Samuel saw the hint of a blush as he complimented Susan, all truthfully of course, a Lord must be courteous to Allies and Ladies, and an honest compliment was part of that, well, that was what he had read a few weeks ago.  
"Mary Mason you say Samuel?"  
"Mary Bones was a beauty like no other, and won the heart of my great-great uncle Malcolm Mason, who wed her in the 1800s I believe. She was described as kind, loyal, and endowed"  
Amelia spluttered "Endowed?"  
"I believe the term means to have excellent personality Lady Bones, as Malcolm was described as fair and honest as well as endowed. I hope in my future to be well endowed"  
"I hope I will be well endowed too then Lord Armstrong-Mason" Susan replied and smiled. Amelia looked between the two and sighed  
"Lets get you settled in the Samuel shall we?"

The week went very quickly, and Samuel settled in well enough, but did not loosten up. He spoke a very formal tongue to both Amelia and Susan, but seemed very happy and got along well with them both. She hoped that Marcus could get him to open up a little when he had Samuel.

"Hello to you my favourite godson"  
"Lord Greengrass, how pleasant to see you"  
"Now Samuel, I thought we agreed on Marcus" he said, noticing the frown on Amelia's face  
"If that is your wish godfather"  
Marcus sighed "We'll see you in a week Amelia, come Lord Armstrong-Mason, we'll be using the floo to get to Greengrass Manor.

Greengrass Manor was just as grand as Bones Manor, as he came out of the floo, Samuel was greeted by the Greengrass ladies. Marcus was about to introduce them  
"Lady Greengrass, how pleasant to see you again, have you been well?" Samuel started  
"I have thank you my Lord, these are my Daughers"  
"Heir Greengrass, you are as beautiful as your mother, with your father's eyes" Daphne did indeed have her mothers features and silky black hair, but her father's eyes, though without the cheerful glint his always seemed to have. Her features were schooled into a neutral expression.  
"Lord Armstrong-Mason, you flatter me, it is a pleasure to meet you. I trust the Boneses treated you well?"  
"They did indeed thank you my Lady, and this must be Astoria Greengrass, you take after your father, but are no less beautiful than the rest of his ladies." Astoria blushed and giggled  
"I think we should keep this one daddy, does he have to go back?"  
"Sadly he does, but he'll be here for every other week." Marcus stated, he looked at his wife, who met his gaze with a pensive look, his daughter looked at Samuel with her well trained formal mask on (same as her mother's, of course), and Astoria seemed to be trying to jump on the little Lord and extract a piggy back or a cuddle or some sort.

This would be an interesting week.

-BREAK-

It certainly was an interesting week, Samuel seemed to enjoy Astoria's company, but he did not alienate Daphne. The two established some sort of professional working relationship, Merlin knows what, how or why. He saw Amelia's suspicions and worries very quickly. The boy settled in well, but did not abstain from formal conversation no matter how many times he was permitted to.  
"I still can't work out why" muttered Amelia through his floo  
"He was left alone for 4 months, that'd damage any child Amelia"  
"He's not damaged Marcus!"  
"I know Amelia, but you know what I mean, It might be just a quirk, lots of wizards have some, and some have many *cough Dumbledore cough*"  
"I suppose, perhaps he'll grow out of it."

-CHAPTER BREAK-

Four girls stood clustered together at the portal to Diagon Alley in late August while their parents spoke, argued, caught up or whatever it was that adults did.  
"I can't believe Samuel got his wand when he was 10, how unfair is that? Auntie said I had to wait until I was 11 and got my Hogwarts letter."  
"Like all of us Heir Bones, it's hardly unfair" stated Tracey Davis, an associate of Daphne's.  
"Well he didn't have to wait" complained Hannah Abott, one of Susan's friends, at Daphne  
"Instead he had to spend 4 months in an empty castle with books for company." Daphne deadpanned, "what's the longest you've ever been alone?"  
"4 months? That's horrid!" Hannah looked to be tearing up "Poor Samuel"  
"Lord Armstrong-Mason was strong enough to cope with it, and he had to receive his birthright before his guardian passed away"  
"His birthright?" said Hannah and Tracey at the same time  
"Oh come on, have you never read a history book? Armstrong knights, striking like lightning, wands in their left hands, darksteel in their right, striking down enemies of the family, and at their head, the Armstrong Lord, with a wand core of bonded darksteel." Daphne quoted smugly at the impressed looks on Hannah and Tracey's faces.  
"You'll have to lend me that book Daphne"  
"Oh? And what's in it for me Davis?"  
"Just give her the book Greengrass, don't be so Slytherin"  
"Then she should stop being such a Hufflepuff and embrace her Slytherin side."  
"There's nothing wrong with Hufflepuff" said Hannah, lots of my family has been in Hufflepuff  
"As have mine, good day to you Heir Bones, Heir Greengrass, Miss Davis, Heir Abott" spoke Samuel, they all greeted him back.

The day went quickly, they all visited their vaults at Gringotts, bought their school robes with noble coats of arms on the shoulders, the girls were all 11, so got their wands finally. As they were buying potion supplies in the Apothecary, Samuel talked to Daphne about her Family's potion supply company. Greengrass Ingredients had survived the war by selling to both sides and staying neutral. Staying neutral had cost the Armstrongs and the Masons much of their wealth and business.  
"The Mason lands used to be worked by our vassals and villagers" Stated Samuel, "We even have an abandoned village with houses and a few shops, all abandoned when Voldemort attacked"  
"You use his name then" Stated Daphne  
"Whose? Voldemort's?" Samuel asked, as Susan and Tracey jumped when they heard  
"Morgana Samuel, don't say his name" Tracey whispered, "You can't just drop you-know-who's name in an Apothecary!" Susan looked like she was going to cry and Hannah was looking extremely jittery.  
"Did you not find anything you wanted in the Magical Menagerie Sam…Lord Armstrong-Mason?" Hannah corrected herself, changing the subject quickly.  
"No, I have no need of an Owl currently, and I do not want a cat or a toad"  
"You're the Lord of a Noble House, they'd make exceptions for you surely"  
"Perhaps they would, but there is not currently an animal I came across that I desired, and I have no need to waste the galleons my family has left on a pet"  
"It would give you company though" uttered Susan. A worried look flashed across Samuel's face  
"I am fine, Heir Bones, thank you for your concern" Samuel schooled his features. He would be fine, he had godparents and godsisters, and 2 acquaintances in the form of Miss Davis and Heir Abott.


	4. Chapter 4: Hogwarts

"You'll need a lot of capital to bring Houses Mason and Armstrong back to what they once were my Lord, political and financial, even with your wizengamot seats and your vault."  
"Oh Morgana no more financial or politics chat, please." Complained Tracey "We're going to school for Merlin's sake"  
"That may be the case Heir Greengrass, but I shall need allies too, I'm going to greet the other children on the train. Good day to you both." Said Samuel as he left the carriage  
"Did we just get ditched by Lordykins?"  
"Don't call him Lordykins."  
"It is a bit odd though, he's known us for months, he lives at your place half the time, does it not bother you he never uses our first names?" asked Tracey.  
Daphne did not answer.

"Good day to you" Samuel greeted as he entered the compartment "Lord Samuel Armstrong-Mason"  
"Oh... Heir N..Nevile L..L..Longbottom" stuttered a rather plump boy  
"Hermione Granger, just Hermione thank you" stated a rather irritated curly haired witch  
"Lily Moon" a small blonde girl said  
"A pleasure to meet you all" replied Samuel "Heir Longbottom you say?"  
"Y..Yes"  
"I believe there was a time our families were allied. A strong light house was Longbottom wasn't it? Ancient and Noble? Who's your current Lord?"  
"My Gran, until I come of age"  
"The War?" Samuel asked, adopting an understanding face, Neville nodded. "My condolences for Lord and Lady Longbottom" Neville nodded again. "Miss Granger, Miss Moon, I do not believe I have come across your houses"  
"Well I live in Hamstead if you must know, whereabouts are you from" stated Hermione  
"House Moon is Newblood my Lord, 3 Generations." Added Lily, Hermione looked even more confused and frustrated than before.  
"Pleased to meet your acquaintances Heir Longbottom, Miss Moon and Miss Granger, my property is on the south coast in Sussex, but I must bid you farewell" Samuel left the carriage, pleased he had met 3 new people. He wondered once again if Lord Potter was on this train, Samuel wanted a judgement of his character before he swore his oath. An oath should always be thought out before being made after all, as magic would often interpret the words in interesting and exceptional ways.

"Have you seen Harry Potter yet?" A blonde boy asked, behind him stood two large boys, blocking the corridor"  
"I am afraid not, do you know if he is on the train Mr…?"  
"Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, and this is Crabbe, and Goyle" clarified Draco, looking like he was cursing himself for forgetting his greetings, Samuel thought it must be embarrassing indeed "you'll have heard of my father of course, Lord Malfoy?"  
"Of course Heir Malfoy, house Malfoy is an Ancient and Noble House after all, pleased to meet your acquaintance, I am Lord Armstrong-Mason" he said, extending his hand. Malfoy quickly threw his hand forward into Samuels  
"My apologies… Lord Armstrong-Mason, I had not heard your debut" Malfoy sneered slightly  
"I have not yet debuted Heir Malfoy, I did not seem it fitting, as I have house matters to attend to first. Crabbe and Goyle you say?" He held his hand out to the pair, they looked at Draco, then attempted to crush Samuel's hand as they shook.  
"A firm grip sirs, I like that. Good luck to you Heir Malfoy, do let me know if you find Potter." Samuel looked at Goyle who stood out of the way for him.

"Back so soon Armstrong-Mason?" Muttered Daphne, "Gracing us with your presence are you?"  
"I should think so Heir Greengrass, I had to retrieve my Robes"  
"I met a pair of Heirs, a newblood and a muggleborn on my travels" he began pulling his Hogwarts robes out of his suitcase and undressing.  
"Oh is that right? Well-Morgana Armstrong! Let us get out of here first!" Shouted Daphne seeing his shirt come off, and she dragged Tracey out of the compartment.  
"Damn you Daphne, I've never seen him take his shirt off before, not even when we went swimming, is it true he does sword excersises every morning?"  
"He does, too early for me to care of course."  
"Of course" said Tracey "A shame, now, where are we going to get changed?"

"FIRS YEARS, FIRS YEARS OVER HERE"  
"Merlin, that gentleman is huge, there must be giant blood in his line, not even Arnold Longbottom was that big" stated Samuel "Excuse me sir, do you decend from giantstock? You have an impressive build, I must say"  
"Migh' Be, I dunno, Who migh' you be, ye a firs' year?" Replied the giant  
"I am sir, Lord Armstrong-Mason, first year"  
"Lord eh? Rubeus Hagrid, keeper of the keys 'n grounds at Hogwarts"  
"Pleased to meet your acquaintance" Samuel left Hagrid to another boy shouting his name and he went to the other first years.  
"Did you have a good train ride Heir Bones?"  
"I did thank you Samuel, did you bump into Malfoy on your walk?"  
"I think everyone on the train did, Bones"  
"Hello to you too Greengrass" said Susan, as Samuel gestured for her, Daphne and Tracey to get into the boat. They were quiet as they travelled across the lake, and the view of Hogwarts looming over them was very impressive, though it made Samuel miss Armstrong Castle a little, he hadn't seen it since his godparents had picked him up.

After being handed off from Hagrid to Professor McGonagall like a herd of cattle, the first years were corralled into the great hall, chatter erupted from the 4 house benches and the first years alike. Samuel did not know what to expect from a Hogwarts sorting, so kept his sword and wand loosened in their sheathes, Samuel felt the reassuring hum of darksteel in his wand and sword, the only company he'd had for 4 months, the magic from his Applewood wand left a faint taste of apple in his mouth, he must write to Mr Ollivander about that. Hannah being sorted into Hufflepuff snapped him out of his thoughts "Armstrong-Mason, Samuel" Called professor McGonagall. Samuel stepped up to the hat and it was put onto his head.  
"Well, well, Half Armstrong, Half Mason, what a way to end the Feud"  
"Indeed it is Hat"  
"Well what do we have here in your head my Lord Armstrong and Mason, a great drive to rebuild your Houses, how very ambitious indeed, Slytherin would help you there, but you will do it with hard work and graft, not through more Slytherin methods, no, not Slytherin. A good mind, but no thirst for knowledge outside of History, Combat or anything relevant to your quest"  
"I have no need of it Hat"  
"It would appear not, definitely not Ravenclaw or Slytherin then, Brave, and willing to do what must be done, a true Gryffindor, but you lack the drive for greatness, you do this all for your house and family, not for yourself, so it better be HUFFLEPUFF! They will help you get over that which you fear most, which overshadows even your great and noble quest to rebuild the Ancient and Noble Houses of Mason and Armstrong, good luck little Lord, I look forward to seeing the fruits of your hard work.

The hat was plucked off of his head and he went to sit with the house of black and yellow. Daphne and surprisingly Tracey were sorted into Slytherin, Susan and Hannah were with him in Hufflepuff, Longbottom's whole compartment had been sorted into Gryffindor. He was sandwiched between Susan and a Boy named Wayne, who kept asking him about his sword.  
"You're really allowed to carry that?"  
"It is my right as a main branch Armstrong Mr Hopkins"  
"Is that not against the Hogwarts charter?" asked Zacharias Smith  
"200 years ago it was made legal by Wizengamot order."  
"What's a wizengamot old chap?" asked Justin Finch-Fletchley a muggleborn who Samuel believed was finally someone who could talk correctly.  
"The Wizengamot is the House of Lords of the British Wizarding Community" answered Ernie Macmillan "One of my squib great Uncles is on it  
"I have an uncle on it too!" exclaimed Justin, and the two started chatting away with Hannah, who already knew Ernie from her youth, and found the whole subject of muggles fascinating.  
"You seem like a good man Wayne, but I can only swear in non-lord purebloods as Armstrong Knights, thus train in swordsmanship. I don't judge on blood, but the the Armstrong family magic will only recognise those from noble houses"  
"Ah well, I'll just have to teach you some things myself then"  
"Sounds commendable" replied Samuel. The boy had stuck himself to Samuel after that, Samuel explaining things that wizards did and Wayne explaining things muggles did, Samuel found Wayne's fathers work as a civil architect fascinating  
"So muggles built these massive structures hundreds of years ago, beneath London, to share?"  
"They're called sewers Sam"  
"What are they used for?"  
"Well…"

-CHAPTER BREAK-

Hufflepuff house was not as united as people might have thought, it was an odd mix of small friendship groups that bumped into each other a lot and amicably caught up, before splitting back up. Hannah did not speak to Susan as much as she used to, instead always seeming to be catching up with Ernie who always hung out with Justin. Samuel was on good terms with both boys, who appreciated someone else who was as articulate as he. Wayne followed Samuel around as much as he dragged Samuel about, Susan, who was always quiet when out and about, had befriended a skittish welsh girl called Megan Jones. Zacharias Smith was often bouncing about on his own, he took an immediate dislike to Samuel after the whole sword debate, bullied Megan horribly until Susan hit him with a stinging hex. Megan, Susan, Wayne and Samuel often grouped together to work on homework right after it was given. Wayne proved to be a natural at transfiguration and was reasonable at charms, Megan enjoyed astronomy and potions, as she had been exceptional at maths in her muggle school. Susan was good at defence and charms, due to the amount of work her Aunt brought home, while Samuel they considered to be a better history teacher than Binns, with a much wider range of knowledge too.

"These are all the important dates, the Soap Blizzard of 1378 was actually caused by a Mason Ward that went wrong, the fine was immense, but the ward was corrected and the large cold room for Greengrass Imports was finished on schedule. The fine was 1000 galleons for mass obliviations…"  
"And the ruling was by a Smith, you're not the only one who knows their family history Armstrong-Mason, and some people's Houses could survive wars AND do their jobs right, no wonder Mason Masons fell apart, shoddy wards…"  
"Speak another word Heir Smith, and I shall duel you with darksteel drawn." Samuel stared the boy down, hands on his sword and wand. Zacharias opened his mouth, then stormed off out of the Library. Megan emerged from behind a bookcase  
"Is he gone?"  
"He's gone Megan, come sit down" Susan patted the chair beside her, opposite Wayne and Samuel  
"God he pisses me off" Muttered Wayne  
"I'm glad he stopped treating Megan so badly, she spilt ink on his diary once, so what? Megan is a little clumsy"  
"I said sorry" murmured Megan  
"There was also the time where you tripped in Potions and pushed him into Snape though" Wayne reminded them, "you know, that might be it"  
"The idiot deserves it." Muttered Susan  
"He may be an Heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Smith, but Merlin is he a buffoon" Finished Samuel. "I shan't be coveting an Alliance with that House with a future like him"

-CHAPTER BREAK-

"Are you still going to swear fealty to Potter Samuel?" asked Susan "You said you wanted to get a judge of his character for a month."  
"He keeps to the company of the Gryffindors a lot, I speak with Heir Longbottom more, the boy is an excellent Herbologist. Lord Potter seems to be coveting a Weasley Alliance, but otherwise seems sensible, if a little quiet. He doesn't make a physical impression, but I'm sure he will be a good liege"  
"That's why you're doing so well in Herbology"  
"Did you not hear anything about my future Liege-Lord, Hopkins?"  
"Go swear your vassal bond Sam, you heard what he did in flying lessons, he's the real deal, then you can shut up about this perceived debt of yours"  
"He avenged my entire family Hopkins!"  
"Lord Armstrong-Mason, I will not have shouting in my Library, by Muggleborns or Wizengamot Lords!" Called Madam Pince from the reception desk.  
"My apologies Madam Pince, how is your son, Lord Pince?" Samuel went over and said after bowing  
"He is well, now would you, Miss Jones and your friends be quiet?"  
"Certainly." He conceded, turning to his friends "I shall go find him, and swear the vassal bond."  
"Are you looking for Harry?" Sniffed the curly haired witch Samuel had met on the train, as she poked her head around a bookshelf "He was taken for Quiddich practice, hello again Megan"  
"Hello Hermione" replied Megan meekly  
"Thank you Miss Granger" Samuel replied, remembering her name, just. "I owe you one favour, so mote it be"  
"It's nothing" she said, but he had already run off.  
"Are you alright Granger?"  
"Again, It's nothing"

Samuel bumped into Harry Potter just outside the great hall  
"Lord Potter"  
"Hello, who are you?"  
"I am Lord Samuel Armstrong-Mason, I owe you a debt, you destroyed the beast who annihilated my family, leaving me the only survivor of Houses Armstrong and Mason. In doing so, you performed the vengeance that I could not."  
"Oh, you too, I was a baby, it wasn't me"  
"A modest lord is one I would be proud to serve, I hereby offer my service as vassal to the last member of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter- Harry Potter, in payment of this debt, my sword and wand shall be his, his enemies and allies mine. So mote it be." Samuel kneeled and placed his sword point down on the floor in his right hand, and wand facing directly upwards in his left"  
"Okay?" questioned Harry, very confused, not quite knowing what was going on, then Samuels wand flashed. It was done. A small coat of arms appeared on Samuel's sleeve, above his own, the Potter Coat of arms. Meanwhile a potter coat of arms also appeared on Harry's sleeve.  
"You had not accepted your Lordship my Lord?" asked Samuel, "Well, you have now"  
"Wicked" said Ron, who had just come out of the great hall, where a small crowd had appeared.


	5. Chapter 5: First Year

"So you did it then?" asked Susan  
"Indeed I did, I am now vassal to house Potter for 7 years" replied Samuel  
"Why 7 years?" questioned Wayne  
"I saw no reason not to lessen the standard time" responded Sam  
"Magic sure does love the number 7"  
"It's a very magically powerful number, as is 3 and 13" Megan pointed out  
"If you want to go debate arithmancy, go talk to professor Vector, I'm sure she'd love to encourage your passion for the subject, until then, I'm happy to wait until third year" Susan pointed out, "you're reading into arithmancy Megan?"  
"Just a little, I was always quite good at maths."  
"I preferred literacy myself, my teachers always used to say I had a fantastic imagination." Wayne added  
"Probably why you're good at transfiguration" Susan agreed "Visualisation is the most essential part McGonagall says."  
"Transfiguration and Arithmancy are good career choices" pitched in Samuel  
"We can't all have our lives planned out before we're twelve Sam"  
"And why don't you? Good planning is essential for a good life" Daphne said as she walked up to the group with Tracey in tow.  
"Good day to you Heir Greengrass, Miss Davis"  
"Hello Lordy -OOF!" Tracey was interrupted by Daphne's elbow striking her in the midriff"Morgana, Daph, that really hurt."  
"I don't suppose you can help us with the potions homework Greengrass? I don't quite have the knack for it that you or your sister do"  
"I would appreciate your aid also, Heir Greengrass"  
"Oh go on then, Tracey seems to have already decided we're staying" she gestured to the brunette, who had already started unpacking her things"  
"Don't suppose you know anything about that Soap Blizzard we've got 6 inches for?" Tracey asked  
"Well you see, it was all a case of poor rune drawing, Mason Runes in fact…" Samuel began.

The weeks preceeding Hallows Eve were quiet, the students had all settled into their classes and cliques and Susan, Megan, Wayne and Samuel all supported each other in their studies, occasionally joined by Daphne and Tracey, Heir Longbottom dropped in on occasion, usually after Herbology, where they'd try and get down all the facts he would gush about the days work.  
"TROLL IN THE DUNGEON, TROLL IN THE DUNGEON" screamed Professor Quirrell as he ran into the hall, "Just thought you ought to know" he added, then fainted away. The entire hall broke out in screaming, it took several bangs and a shout for silence to quiet the hall as Samuel poked at the professor with his sword.  
"Is he dead?" asked Ernie Macmillan  
"I do not believe so Macmillan"  
"Come on you lot! Back to the common room" a Hufflepuff prefect called.  
"Weird, a troll getting in like that, at least you've got a sword Mason"  
"And you posess a wand Macmillan, both of us carry tools of death"  
"Ah, but you have two my dear fellow" cut in Justin. Samuel was about to argue, when he felt an odd pull from his left shoulder, the scenery changed from a corridor to a half destroyed bathroom.  
"What in Merlin's name?"  
"Bloody Hell Harry, where did he come from" Samuel looked up and saw Potter and his Weasley friend standing over him  
"MOVE" Harry shouted, as a roar and screaming came from behind Samuel.  
Samuel threw himself to his feet and pushed Weasley and Potter toward the door  
"Wait, Hermione!" shouted Harry. Samuel tracked his view to Granger, the source of the screaming, hiding under some sinks. "I'll distract it!" shouted Harry, who proceeded to grab the trolls club and was thrown onto its head. Samuel paused and shouted at Weasley  
"Grab Granger!" Ron nodded and Samuel hacked at the trolls legs to no avail with his sword, and cast stinging hexes with his wand. With Granger safely out of the way Ron aimed at the troll's club  
"Do Something! Anything!" Harry Shouted. Ron levitated the Troll's club up in the air and smashed it onto the head of the troll. Samuel and Harry jumped out of the way just in time.  
"Is it dead?" Hermione asked  
"I don't think so, just knocked out" Replied Harry, who tried desperately to rub the bogies off his wand on the troll's loincloth. The teachers then took this opportunity to run in and demand what was happening, as the two Gryffindor boys stuttered and Samuel was about to speak, Granger took the blame for the entire incident, saying the three boys were here to rescue her.  
"And how is it that Lord Armstrong-Mason is here too? I don't remember seeing you exit the halls with the Gryffindors" McGonagall questioned  
"That is because I did not Professor, I was transported here at the start of the battle by a method of magical transportation akin to a portkey, as to how it worked, I cannot be sure." Samuel replied to her shocked face, Snape pitched in  
"It is, perhaps, that Lord Armstrong-Mason was pulled from his common room to defend his _Leige,_ Lord _Potter_."  
"That is very possible Professor, now if I may have your leave my Lord, and yours Professors, I must return to my common room post-haste."  
"What?" Harry replied  
"He's asking you to leave Potter, you may, Armstrong-Mason, but do try not to get yourself into any more trouble this evening. I shall inform Professor Sprout of what has happened"  
"I shall not Professor, good evening." Samuel left the room, considering the impact of the vassal bond calling him to the defence of his liege.

The group in the bathroom similarly dissolved, only after which Professors Snape and McGonagall realised that they, to their horror, had not docked or given any points to the students.

Samuel was sufficiently lambasted, however, by his fellows in Hufflepuff, who had seen his disappear and the following fuss resulting from it, none more so than Susan and Professor Sprout.  
"Now Samuel, I am all for loyalty and bravery, but battling a troll? It was very irresponsible, I did not know your parents well, but I'm sure they'd be upset."  
"Perhaps professor" he replied pensively.  
"What about your friends Samuel? What if you had died last night and your friends were left behind without you?"  
"My allies are strong and able Professor, they would be fine"  
"And what about your stupid Houses Sam? The lines of Armstrong and Mason going extinct because you wanted to chase a troll? You care about those don't you?" Sam looked worried at that, which upset Susan further "See Sam?" she stormed out.  
"I think you should keep an eye on your 'allies' Armstrong-Mason, they might be strong, but perhaps they need you." Professor Sprout advised.

Susan did not speak to Samuel and avoided him for several weeks, Megan still spoke to him, but was with Susan more often than not. That left Samuel with Wayne and occasional visits from Longbottom and Greengrass. At Lord Potter's first quidditch match, he performed admirably, but when almost shaken from his broom Sam was once again teleported to him and they both crashed to the ground. Samuel patted Harry on his back as he choked on something, and he spat out the golden snitch. Samuel congratulated his Liege on a victory well won. Harry just looked tired and ill.

Winter passed quickly, over the Christmas holidays he stayed mostly with the Greengrasses. For Christmas gifts he got them well-made woollen hats with deflection and protection runes he made and threaded in with wire (he had read about the process and the required runes in a Mason family tome), and dropped one each to Susan, Megan, Wayne, Longbottom and his Godmother Amelia in person. Susan seemed happy with her present, Amelia thanked him for hers, and that she'd wear it to work in the cold. He stayed for a few hours but insisted he'd be back at Bones Manor for all of the Easter holidays.  
The Joneses were a busy lot, but Megan introduced Samuel to her Parents, Bryn and Vanessa, her brother, a 7th year Gryffindor and her two Aunts- Hestia and Gwenog, who worked in magical printing and played quidditch respectively.  
Samuel also got to meet Wayne's civil engineer 'It's like building but for the council, who are the local ministry for muggles' father and unemployed 'It's like she's lazy, and doesn't want to get a job' older sister. He was very impressed with the hat that deflected the shoe his sister threw at his head. Samuel bid Wayne, David and Michaela a good day after that, as he had no intention of being convicted of muggle baiting for defending an acquaintance, even an acquaintance like Wayne.  
Neville had invited Samuel along to Longbottom Castle for the evening, and introduced the impressive Lady Longbottom to him.  
"Armstrong- _Mason_ you say?"  
"Indeed Lady Longbottom"  
"Well the Masons were good sorts, but the Longbottoms have had not much in the way of dealings with the House of Armstrong."  
"That is unsurprising for a House such as yours Lady Longbottom, but the Mason and Longbottom houses have been joined several times in history."  
"Indeed they have, do the Armstrongs still take knights?"  
"They do my Lady, but training is only offered to a pureblooded non-lord who a qualified knight sees potential in. The stipulations were added so that knighthood would always link a noble house to the Armstrong one and a Lord can not submit to a knight. I would like to rebuild the House of Armstrong and its Cadre of Knights"  
"Very interesting. Do you aim to rebuild both your Ancient and Noble Houses?"  
"I do my Lady"  
"That is good to hear, too many of the old names have died out already, it is a shame Frank did not have another child, a female Longbottom could make the House of Longbottom great" she said as Neville's face began to sag "and would carry strong Mason heirs, would you join us for dinner?"  
"I would love to, but I believe your grandson would like to show me your greenhouses first" Neville perked up slightly at that and led Samuel out.

The rest of the holidays passed quickly, and Samuel was soon back on the express with Susan, Megan, Wayne and Neville. Daphne had said something about 'checking in with Pansy' by which he assumed meant the daughter of Lord Parkinson, who was in their year. The spring term brought Susan's birthday (January, Samuel got her a wand holster) and the Hufflepuff-Gryffindor match. Samuel clapped for Hufflepuff throughout the game and once for Lord Potter when he caught the snitch early in the game. He met glares from his house with glares of his own, and Susan pointed out a good win is a good win, which got rid of most of them. Zacharias Smith was about to say something, but Wayne half transfigured his scarf into a snake, the look of the snake was all wrong, but safe to say Smith got the message, and the rest of the Hufflepuffs dispersed. Samuel was just happy he didn't have to be a guest in this game.

After an Easter spent at Bones Manor, the teachers were frantically trying to finish the content of their lessons before exam season began. The Hufflepuffs banded together with some of the Ravenclaws to begin studying. Susan was happy to spend more time with Hannah, Ernie Macmillan, Justin Finch-Flechley and Samuel dragged the Ravenclaw Terry Boot into their politics and history discussions, Terry was a dab hand at potions, as were many of the Ravenclaws. Samuel felt a tingle in his shoulder once the week before the end of exams, but it disappeared suddenly.

Exams came and went, the study group as a whole believed they'd done well all things considered, though most of the Ravenclaws still had doubts. That evening, as Susan, Megan, Wayne and Samuel were all saying goodnight, Samuel once again felt the tingle in his shoulder, and opened his eyes to the faint sound of barking and the feel of vines.


	6. Chapter 6: Summer

"I know what this is, it's Devil's Snare!" came a voice "Just stay calm."  
"Well if it's Devil's Snare set the blasted stuff on fire, I do not want to meet with my ancestors so soon!" Samuel shouted as the vines began to constrict him  
"I don't want to hurt you all though! Think think…" there was murmuring "but will sulk in the sun!" and cast a powerful light charm. The vines recoiled and three boys joined what was revealed to be Granger below the great plant.  
"Good job we didn't panic then" Weasley stated, Potter gave him a pointed look  
"Lucky Hermione pays attention in Herbology"  
"Indeed it is, good evening to you all, my Lord Potter, Mr Weasley, Miss Granger"  
"Was it the Vassal Bond?" Hermione asked  
"It appears to be, and I suppose being strangled to death does constitute danger. What caused the tingling last week?"  
"I met a spectre in the Forbidden Forest, I think it was Voldemort, I was saved by a centaur"  
"And what were you doing in the Forbidden Forest at night? Actually, what are you doing here? Also, where is here?"  
"It's a long story, It's also a long story, below the third floor corridor, the forbidden one."  
"Oh right."

Once Samuel was all caught up and agreed to help them stop Snape stealing the stone (he would probably be dragged back down here again before the night was through anyway, he just knew), they moved to the next room, where Harry caught the key they needed and they rushed through to a giant chessboard.  
"We'll have to play our way across the board" said Weasley "Harry, you take the empty bishop's square, Hermione, take the queenside castle, err…"  
"I shall be a knight Mr Weasley, you take the king's square, if Lord Potter deems you fit to lead this battle, lead it you shall." Samuel replied. After what seemed like hours battling across the board, it was apparent they were winning a pyrrhic victory. Knocked out pieces of both colours littered the edges of the board.  
"Oh no" muttered Ron.  
"What is it?" the three all said at once  
"Our last knight, I need a sacrificial play, then Hermione and Harry checkmate the king, it's the only way."  
"No! There must be another way!" Hermione shouted out  
"Order it Weasley" Samuel drew his sword and wand "I will do my duty, I commend your battle tactics, give the order."  
"Are you sure Lord Armstrong-M-mason?"  
"I am my Lord." Samuel replied. Harry and Ron exchanged a glance and both nodded.  
"Knight to H3" Ron ordered, Samuel marched forwards, left and looked across at the white queen. There was a pause, and, indomitably, the white queen turned and advanced toward him. She too drew her sword, and swung it directly down on Samuel. There was a great crash, and then blackness.

Samuel awoke in the hospital wing, beside him, Lord Potter was talking to Headmaster Dumbledore.  
"Ah, and I see you are also up Lord Armstrong-Mason, are you also full of questions?"  
"Is Lord Potter or anyone else injured Headmaster?"  
"Lord Potter is well, as you can see, and there have been no other patients admitted to this ward, or St Mungos tonight."  
"Then that will be all Headmaster, good day to you both." Samuel inclined his head, and left. He heard Potter running behind him.  
"Sorry to drag you into all this stuff Lord Armstrong-Mason, can I call you Samuel?"  
"It is nothing my Lord Potter, and you may"  
"Why do you call me Lord Potter?"  
"Because that is your title my Lord."  
"And if I asked you to call me just Harry?"  
"The service you did for Heir Longbottom last year would be considered Just, but one must be careful when adding honorary titles my Lord, and it would be better as Lord Potter the Just."  
"I meant call me Harry"  
"Oh. Sorry my Lord"  
"Harry!" Weasley and Granger shouted "Are you alright?"  
"Yeah, you?"  
"I'm alright" replied Ron  
"Never Better" added Hermione, smiling.  
"Granger, Weasley, good game of chess Weasley, you should consider training for professional leagues, I'd be happy to sponsor you."  
"Houses Armstrong and Mason are cash strapped, but I think I could do transport and accommodation, nothing too flash"  
"Wicked, erm, thanks my Lord"  
"Just let me know, you both showed real loyalty and grit for Lord Potter last knight, you would have both done well in Hufflepuff."  
"Thank you my Lord" Hermione replied.  
"I must get going, good day to you both."

-CHAPTER BREAK-

"I can't BELIEVE you got caught up in his mess again!"  
"I do apologise Susan, but I cannot control it"  
"I DON'T CARE IF YOU CAN'T did you call me Susan?"  
"My apologies Heir Bones, I was struck in the head"  
"In the face wasn't it?" added Wayne  
"By a chess piece" murmured Megan  
"Yes, yes, what a shame, now did you say Susan?"  
"A momentary lapse in concentration, I apologise, I meant no offence"  
"I'm sure I'll live Samuel." Susan had a very satisfied, almost smug look on her face, "I just need to let Daphne know you're up and about, she is your God-Sister after all, like me."  
"That she is, shall I accompany you?"  
"Now now, there's no need for that, you bumped your head after all, I'll just go talk to _Heir Greengrass_ now" Susan said as she sauntered away.  
"So did it hurt?" asked Wayne  
"Being struck in the face by a giant stone chesspiece?" Samuel replied "no, no, t'was just a tap"  
"Well, word is that you fended of multiple chesspieces, cut their swords in half, all whilst whistling and composing medieval battle-poetry. People are very impressed." Wayne pointed out.  
"The house loves you because it got out you're a Hufflepuff, and people can't believe it" Megan added, then whispered "I know it was only one chess piece, but you did leave a huge dent in its sword and allow Harry, Hermione and Ron to carry on, I asked Hermione what happened. Don't worry" she added with a very uncharacteristic wink, "I won't tell".

After Gryffindor won the house cup due to some late point additions (Susan and Terry talked on the train about how convenient the scores had been, Samuel's 50 points for 'the true virtues of Hufflepuff, loyalty and dedication' hadn't been enough to get Hufflepuff out of the bottom spot; but Gryffindor, Dumbledore's old house, had received just enough to beat Slytherin and win the house cup.) Samuel was impressed at Neville's bravery in standing up to Potter and his Allies in his own house for the right reason.  
"Heir Longbottom?"  
"My Lord?"  
"Would you like to learn to fight?"  
"S-S-Sorry?"  
"Learn to fight, the Longbottoms have produced powerful Wizards like your Grandmother and Father" Neville's face faltered at the mention of his father, but he replied  
"And If I would?"  
"I'd like to take you on as an Armstrong Knight."  
"What?"  
"Since you have not taken up your Lordship, you can swear fealty to me during your training, then announce an official Alliance once your training finishes."  
"Really?"  
"Indeed"  
"What do I need to do?"  
"If you accept? Kneel before me Heir Longbottom, do you know the vow of the knight? The Longbottoms used to take knights, but Armstrong Knight must be used in place of the word Knight." He looked upon Neville kneeling before him, drew his sword, and planted it into the floor of the carriage, the blade sinking an inch into the dense, magically strengthened carpet and wood.  
"I, Neville Harfang Longbottom, do swear myself unto Lord Samuel Armstrong-Mason, for training to become an Armstrong Knight. My wand is his, his enemies and allies mine, so mote it be."  
"Arise Squire Longbottom, Heir to the House of Longbottom, Squire to House Armstrong." The crossed wand and sword of the Armstrong family crest appeared on Neville's sleeve in Bronze above his own Family crest- a great bear grasping a staff, in gold, denoting Neville as Heir or Lord of his house. The rest of the compartment looked on in awe.

-CHAPTER BREAK-

Over the summer, Samuel considered clearing out the village sitting on Mason lands which had stood abandoned since the First Wizarding War. It was in mostly good condition, the village square was covered in rubble where the statue of Arthur Mason, who had originally built the houses, had once stood. Armstrongs considered most manual work below them, and Masons did only manual work they enjoyed. Samuel was not allowed to perform magic outside of school, and could not afford workwizards, so cleared the rubble by hand using a pickaxe to break up large chunks. It was tiring, but it passed 2 weeks and the satisfaction in seeing the square clear and a large pile of marble to the side was very satisfying.

He spent his evenings at Bones Manor, as now he alternated fortnights to stop him having to pack up every week. Both families were shocked to find out that Samuel's 12th birthday had been and gone but he insisted no, 12 was not important, no, it was not necessary to celebrate it, and no, he had never had a party on his birthday, parties are silly. They had all responded that yes 12 was important, yes it was necessary to celebrate it, and yes he was having a party, silly or not. They would have it a week after Wayne's birthday, and invited everyone Samuel knew. Both the Greengrasses and the Boneses offered their Manors but Samuel insisted that they host it in the newly cleared village hall, and it not be a formal event, he would not have a gala on something as unimportant as his 12th birthday.

So Samuel stood with a butterbeer in hand in Whitestone Village Hall, looking as surly as a 12 year old can, in a shirt with his coat of arms emblazoned on and some formal trousers. The girls all looked very pretty, and the boys all looked very smart. Samuel spoke to Neville about what their alliance would detail, and what they would be covering in training this summer and the coming school year; he spoke to Wayne about the lock Samuel had got for his room (he'd been asking about locking spells a lot before exams, and Samuel had sought out a magical lock for Wayne's muggle house that would not trigger the trace); he spoke to Susan, who had her pigtails done in a rather fetching set of plaits (she had been learning braiding over the summer) about things around her Manor; Samuel spoke to Daphne, who also looked very nice with a black choker on this afternoon, about what had gotten stuck around her poor neck before she clarified what it was, and that it was not actually choking her. After mingling for what seemed like hours, some candles were blown out, a cake was cut, and Samuel received presents- mostly sweets and school supplies, Wayne and Megan had clubbed together and gotten him a child's play sword made of plastic. He was very impressed with the muggle craftsmanship, until he realised it was hollow.

Samuel wished that Sir Wilhelmsson had passed on the final secret to creating darksteel before he passed on, he had been the last Armstrong Smith alive, and with him, the secret had died. All Samuel had left were two shortswords, one of which he wore at all times, and a longsword, which would get very in the way at his current height. Samuel resolved to carry a full longsword by the time he was in third year, even if he had to strap it to his back to keep it from dragging on the floor. He wanted to be 13 already, 12 was a stupid age.


	7. Chapter 7: Year 2

Samuel, Wayne, Susan and Megan sat at the Hufflepuff table at the starting feast  
"What are you looking for Sam?" asked Megan  
"I am looking for useful first years Miss Jones"  
"And what constitutes useful?" Megan inquired  
"I am rebuilding…"  
"Your Ancient and Noble Houses, yes Sam, we know." Cut in Wayne  
"Then what don't you understand?" replied Samuel  
"What will first years do for you? Sureley you need to skim the upper years?"  
"I cannot manage those outside Hogwarts whilst I am still inside, I need of our age or below."  
"Lucky them" Wayne stated with a sigh"  
"Ooh look, there's Lockheart!" Cut in Hannah, many of the women at the table cooed and decended into chatter. Gilderoy Lockheart was quite the adventurer before taking up the DADA post at Hogwarts, Samuel respected that, and could not wait to meet the man in lessons. However, in lessons, the man never failed to disappoint, one time he thought that the cage in the corner of his room that rattled occasionally might be used in a lesson finally, but evidently not. Roumour had it that the cage contained a swarm of violent beasts.  
"You'd think that if he was so brave and a good teacher, that people would at least be able to learn the name of the beasts that attacked them?" whispered Wayne to Samuel one lesson  
"It is possible he did not name them, and instead set them upon the class, who were unready for battle. 'Tis a shame, I would have liked to have a go with whatever it was."  
"Now, Now students, why don't we re-create the section from Voyages with Vampires, the bestselling novel, where I first came across the fiend." Announced Lockheart, Wayne giggled, Samuel gave him an odd look "Ah yes, Mr Armstrong-Mason isn't it? Why don't you come up here?" Samuel stood at the front of the class. "Now Mr Armstrong-Mason, if you'll be the Vampire, raide your wand like this, is that Pine?"  
"Applewood Professor"  
"A strong wood, like my own wand, it will do nicely, a darksteel core?"  
"Yes professor"  
"I learnt how to forge darksteel myself when I was in Iberia, but I prefer wandwork to swordsmanship" he looked to the class "details of my swordsmanship can be found in the later chapters, where I taught the art to Bosnian peasants to use with their stakes" he grinned  
"But professor, Voyages with Vampires is set in Bulgaria and the Black Sea" Justin Finch-Flechley pointed out  
"Ah, yes, well I used the same technique in Bosnia later to help them deal with their own Vampire problem." Replied Lockheart "Now, the Vampire Mr Armstrong-Mason" Lockheart looked back to Samuel, who had a dark look on his face "Erm, how about to go sit down, good show, 5 points to Hufflepuff." Samuel returned to his seat.

"What's got you down Sam? You've been acting odd since Defence" questioned Susan  
"Applewood is not a combat wood." Sam murmured  
"What?"  
"Applewood, Susan, is not a combat wood, Applewood wands belong to wizards who are gifted in languages and long lived… and loved" Samuel stated, murmuring the last bit. "That is what Ollivander told me once my wand was finished, they belong to persons of great charm."  
"Great charm eh? Nice for some" Wayne said  
"Do you speak any other languages Samuel?" Asked Megan  
"Just French, Latin, Norweigan and Russian."  
"Just?!" exclaimed Wayne, "I thought Megan was supposed to be the Huffleclaw?"  
"And how did you work that out? Susan pressed  
"Well, Megan spends all the time she's not with you or us in the library, Sam's the Slytherpuff because he's ambitious and uptight, you're the Gryffinpuff because you're terrifying when angry, and I'm the true Hufflepuff because I'm so nice and all." Susan looked very angry, Megan blushed at the praise, Sam looked thoughtful, "see Susan, you're angry AND you're scary, wait, what are you…"

He started running.

"Well that's gotten rid of him, I'll hex him later when he thinks he's safe."  
"There is something afoot about Lockheart." Stated Samuel  
"Pardon?"  
"Poor wandlore, poor geography, poor defence. And he does NOT know darksteel forging, all smiths carry one piece of their work at all times, it is a tradition."  
"Poor defence?"  
"His wand grip is loose, he was liable to loose his wand with his gesticulations."  
"Gesticulations?" Wayne giggled from round a corner  
"Don't hex him too badly Bones"  
"I'll do my best" Susan replied with an innocent smile which quickly turned evil, who then chased off after Wayne  
"So, Jones…" Samuel turned to Megan, who jumped  
"Jones?"  
"Bones insisted that I drop the titles to people who I know, she said it was rude to be so polite."  
"You can just call me Megan, Samel"  
"Well, erm" Samuel stuttered, "Shall we peruse the library, Jones?"  
"Please" replied Megan, desperate for the awkwardness to end.

Samuel was in the Hufflepuff common room when Susan and Wayne came in with many of the first year Hufflepuffs who were shouting about someone killing a cat.  
"You'll never guess who petrified Mrs Norris, Sam" Wayne asked, and before Samuel could answer he added "Your liege, Lord Potter."  
"I see, I suppose I should curse Mr Filch then if House Potter has declared him an enemy."  
"I would clarify with your Lord before launching an offensive my Lord" Susan pointed out  
"A spectacular idea Heir Bones"  
"We're confined to dormitories tonight though"  
"Ah."

It was another week before Samuel could meet with Harry Potter, just before the Slytherin quidditch game, he marched into the Gryfindoor changing rooms.D  
"Oi, what the hell are you doing here?"  
"What do we have here George?"  
"Why if it isn't our Harry's vassal Lord Armstrong-Mason"  
"I wonder what he's here for?"  
"I am here to speak to Lord Potter"  
"Do it later, we have a game in 20 minutes" stated Oliver Wood  
"It'll only take a minute captain"  
"As you wish Potter" he acquiesced, Fred and George hovered within earshot.  
"Concerning your assault on House Filch" Samuel started, and Fred and George burst out laughing, "Do you need House Armstrong and Mason support in your war, I could assault Mr Filch's office, or him directly if your battle has stalled."  
"Erm, I didn't attack Mrs Norris"  
"She attacked you? I will not stand for this my Lord!"  
"Tell you what Armstrong-Mason" George cut in "as allies of Harry Potter, we shall join your assault"  
"Yes we will indeed" agreed Fred "later today"  
"After quidditch"  
"A three pronged assault on our deadly enemy"  
"How glorious"  
"Good day to you my Lord" they bowed in unison and dragged Harry out toward the pitch  
"But I don't want him to assault Filch's office!" Harry said  
"Sssssh Harry"  
"We've been waiting for someone to join us for three years"  
"I thought it was just us"  
"You've done us a great service assembling such a team of allies."  
"Well done Harry, Filch won't know what hit him"  
"Mr Filch, George"  
"My Apologies Fred, MR Filch."  
"Are you quite finished?" asked Oliver  
"Well…" they both replied.

The game was going poorly for Gryffindor, the score was 60-0 to Slytherin and it was raining. A bludger narrowly missed the two seekers, Potter looked like he had seen the snitch, but another bludger had come round and was constantly pestering him. Samuel hadn't seen the Slytherin beaters in a while, their formation was poor, but they made up for it with aggression. The Weasley twins were much better, able to set up one-two's to break up the Slytherin chaser pushes. It was all for naught as the bludger now singularly targeted Potter. Samuel stood and he felt the pull on his shoulder, he drew his wand and sword, but was not transported. Potter grabbed the snitch but was then smashed on the elbow by the bludger, crashing off his broom, Samuel then felt the pull, strongly, and appeared on the pitch, Potter falling to the floor beside him, just out of catching radius. The crowd cheered when they saw Harry had caught the snitch, then Samuel heard the bludger behind him and pushed Harry back down to the floor  
"Get down my Lord!" he turned toward the noise, putting himself between it and Potter, the bludger was too close to take down at range, so Samuel swung his sword, catching the bludger and sending it careening off into the sky, it rounded back round, Samuel cast bombardment hexes at it, then swung his sword once again, cutting the bludger in two and firing the halves down at the floor. A crowd began to assemble and Samuel heard Lockheart run up to Harry and start talking to him  
"No sir, I'll just wait for Madam Pomfrey"  
"Nonsense, I'll have it fixed in a jiffy! Now give it here" there was a flash and Harry's arm started to bend, the Gryffindor team gathered around the three and gaeve a mix of disgusted 'eurgh' and glares at Lockheart.  
"Now, now Harry, why don't we just get Madam Pomfrey to look at it, you see, the bone is not broken anymore here"  
"Not Broken!" shouted Hagrid, who emerged out of the crowd "Ther's no bones left!"  
"I suggest you leave Professor, before I hex you for assaulting my Lord." Samuel stated, Lockheart left quickly.  
"Thanks, Samuel, if only you had gotten to him quicker."  
"I apologise my Lord, I mistook him for a competent wizard once before too, I shall not be fooled a third time." He said as he carried Harry back indoors under the watchful eye of Madam Pomfrey.  
"It's fine" Harry replied. The look on most of the quidditch team's faces did not look to agree, the look on Heir Wood's face was outright murderous. They had all gathered round Harry's bed.  
"Shall we widen our assault to include Mr Lockheart Harry?" asked Fred or George.  
"It would appear he too has assaulted our noble Lord." Stated the other  
"Come, fellow Ally of House Potter"  
"We must plan our war for vengeance"  
"Good day to you Quiddich Fighters" they said, nodding to Oliver, Alicia, Angeline and Katie.  
"And adieu to the faculty" they said to Madam Pomfrey, who gave them a puzzled look.  
"Please, lead on, my Lord" they said together to Samuel, who marched off with them out of the hospital wing.


	8. Chapter 8: Dark Wizard

"You're raiding Filches office?" Asked Wayne  
"It's a plan in progress"  
"Is it now"  
"I have the Weasleys too."  
"Oh, have fun then." Wayne replied dejectedly  
"Do you want to come Hopkins." Sam sighed  
"Your noble ally Wayne of House Hopkins is ready for service my lord!"  
"A newblood house requires three generations of witches, Hopkins, you need to forge a dynasty."  
"A dynasty eh, is that what you'll be doing in broom closets with the ladies"  
"Why would I take women to dust broom closets Hopkins" Samuel deadpanned, Wayne looked confused, then worried.  
"What do you think people do in broom closets Sam?"  
"Store brooms?"  
"Nah, there are no actual brooms in most broom closets, and people don't actually do it in broom closets really, not enough space."  
"Do what?"  
"Oh Samuel, Samuel, let me tell you the delights of women."

A blushing Samuel and a raucously giggling Wayne met the Wesley Twins who had also brought a plus one. Samuel blushed at the sight of a woman, they whispered to her and she introduced herself.  
"Katie Bell, I wanted to get revenge for Harry too"  
"She's in the year below us"  
"Miss Bell of the Newblood House Bell" one of the twins added  
"This is my compatriot Wayne Hopkins, of no house."  
"Muggleborn he means," he shook the hands of the Weasleys and Katie, as did a blushing Samuel  
"Do you have a plan for us O noble Lord"  
"Do you have a plan O Noble Lord of the Ancient and Noble houses of Armstrong and Mason"  
"Do you have a plan O Noble Lord…"  
"Yes I have a plan, I will distact the enemy forces, who have been weakened by our Lord's recent combat, while you shall assault his lair. Hopkins will go with you representing the House of Armstrong-Mason, you shall ransack the office, then stage a withdrawal to the empty classroom on the first floor, there we shall regroup, and utilise the spoils to begin our attack on Lockheart, which will be detailed later for security reasons." Stated Samuel professionally, he had studied years for this, the thrill of true strategy and battle. They all looked very impressed, Katie started  
"And me my Lord?"  
"Ah, erm, Miss Bell, ah" Samuel stuttered, Wayne giggled, the twins looked confused "You can be a passive member and keep watch, or accompany me on the distraction."  
"I'll come with you, you could use an older Witch or Wizard"  
"As you wish" Samuel schooled his features "Mr Filch should be trying to clean the Treacle Tart from the floor by the second floor corridor, he will be demoralised by the sight of his last great defeat by Lord Potter."  
"That's the distraction?" asked George  
"No, then I shall engage him in combat to the death" Samuel said, Wayne nudged him  
"I shall engage him and that will keep him busy, the plan, as of now, has begun, all forces move out."

Samuel found Filch, as expected, outside the toilets, looking very depressed, attacking a sticky mess with a mop. Samuel had changed into Slytherin robes (burrowed from Tracey) to add to the confusion of his distraction.  
"Are those girls robes?" asked Katie "They look a bit small for you, and the cut's all wrong"  
Sam was inded bursting out of Tracey's robes, but he assumed that was because she was a little smaller than him, the uniforms looked the same for boys and girls after all.  
"These are Wizards or Witches robes Miss Bell."  
"They look a lot like Witches robes my Lord."  
"What are you two doing over there!" shouted Filch  
"Stop loiterin' there and move along"  
"Samuel drew his sword, which he was chanelling colour-changing magic along to disguise him."  
"You know you're the only person who carries a sword right?" Katie pointed out, but Sam was already charging  
"You have made an enemy of the House of Potter!" Sam shouted as he swung his sword, but it met the mop mid swing  
"One of Potter's goons eh, petrifying my cat not good enough eh?" Filch sneered as he continued to block Samuel's swings with the mop, then swung it at his head, which Samuel just blocked. "Th' headmaster enchanted my mop himself so I could do me work, shan't find a stronger mop in the world" he sneered, as a furious swordfight broke out. Samuel began combat casting between swings, but the wet end of Filches mop absorbed everything that hit it, and Filch was excellent on the defense. "Kids 'ave been casting jinxes at me for half a century, I'v' learned a thing or two".

The battle went on for half an hour, a small crowd had grown. Katie watched on, as absorbed as the rest of the crowd, with a newfound respect for the little Lord, and even some left over for the Aged Caretaker, but only a little, he was just so damn unlikable. As the hour mark came up, she saw the twins and Hopkins come down to investigate the noise, she kicked Filches bucket of water over, and he slipped while Samuel froze the water and blasted it away.  
"For Slytherin! And purity of blood! I love snakes!" Samuel shouted as he ran off down the corridor, Katie walking after him, avoiding suspicion, not that she needed to try, Samuel's distraction was very good. She heard cheers from students from all houses, but the Slytherins were loudest. Many had started trying to work out who the troublemaker from their house was.

"I must say, from what I saw, it was a very impressive distraction" started Fred or George  
"Very impressive indeed Lord Armstrong-Mason" replied the other  
"Who was the assailant?"  
"How did you find a Slytherin with a backbone?"  
"What?" Wayne broke in "What Slytherin?"  
"The Slytherin who was fighting Filch!"  
"How noble an effort he put up"  
"Another swordsman at the school"  
"How lucky of us"  
"That was Samuel you idiots" Katie cut in "How did you not recognise him?"  
"Samuel you say?"  
"It does seem to make some sense, brother of mine"  
"Indeed, I was in disguise, it added to the confusion."  
"It certainly did." Katie said, giggling  
"I love snakes!" Wayne shouted out before breaking down into laughter  
"Another cunning ruse, of course, I am ambivalent on snakes as a whole, I prefer feathers to scales." Stated Samuel "What was our captured loot, Office group?"  
"Well…" George began  
"We managed to get, er…"  
"There was nothing good there Sam, we just made a mess, and the twins enchanted a few of his belongings and put potions in all his bottles."  
"He'll be in for a very unhappy year."  
"Then we have won another great victory today men" Katie coughed. "And women, my apologies Miss Bell, you performed admirably today.  
"Thank you milord" she replied, curtseying, with a grin  
"We shall meet up here after Christmas, to regain our strength and to let our enemies become complacent, good day to you all, we go after Lockheart next."

-CHAPTER BREAK-

Megan, Susan, Wayne and Samuel were sitting in the great hall  
"Lockheart is starting a duelling club in response to that first year being petrified."  
"I did ask Lord Potter if the child had attacked him like Mrs Norris, but he refuted it again. I'm starting to believe him that he didn't do it."  
"Potter petrified him?" asked Hannah from further down the table  
"He doesn't know Hannah" said Wayne, then turning to Samuel "are we going to the club?"  
"Well Lockheart isn't going to be any good"  
"But Professor Snape will be, he told us he is co-organising it. So you think your Lord Potter is behind the attacks?" Daphne appeared behind them "Isn't that slander against your liege Lord Armstrong-Mason?"  
"Professor Snape, you say Heir Greengrass?"  
"Well, Snape was a Death Eater, so I'm sure he was quite the duellist" Susan pointed out, looking displeased. They never found out if Snape was a good duellist, as he trounced Lockheart with one spell, the four shared a look of comfirmation. They broke apart into pairs, Susan and Megan were not hugely aggressive, and neither was Wayne, but Daphne and Samuel were duelling like skilled amateurs, neither casting or shielding very powerfully, but well enough to block one anothers spells.  
"So this is the fabled Armstrong Style is it" Daphne panted, casting a disarmer which Samuel blocked with his sword, before replying with a stunner, the two exchanged spellfire for what seemed like hours, Samuel being able to deflect or absorb spells with his sword, but being a bigger target and physically tiring quicker. Daphne did not dodge most of the time, relying on a shield, which was tiring her magically instead.  
"That will do you two, 5 points from Hufflepuff for using two weapons, 10 points to Slytherin for excellent shielding Greengrass."  
"Yes, yes, though 5 points also to Hufflepuff for a fantastic show Mr Armstrong-Mason, now, lets have some volunteers up here on the duelling platform, Potter, Weasley, you look fresh"  
"Weasley's wand causes mishaps with the very simplest of magics, might I suggest someone from my own house? Malfoy?" Snape pointed out, Draco grinned at Harry as they both climbed onto the platform, trading jibes they squared off.  
"This'll be good, those two hate each other" said Justin Finch-Fletchley from beside Samuel. The spellfire began, both boys blocking and dodging poorly (Samuel wished that he could take his Lord on as a squire, but that would counteract the vassal bond), before Malfoy cast a serpent summoning charm. The snake went forwards toward Harry, then stopped in front of Justin, hissing at him violently, Samuel drew his sword, then Harry started hissing at the snake, which turned and looked at him in surprise, Harry continued to speak to the snake, and Samuel drew his wand just in case.  
 _"Hungry"_  
 _"I said leave him alone"_  
Snape then destroyed the snake before the conversation could continue, then, with the whole room, gave Harry an odd look. Whispers of 'parseltongue' and 'dark wizard were abound' as Harry's friends dragged him from the room in a stupor.  
"That snake almost killed me"  
"I think it was merely hungry Finch-Flechley, I would have severed its head if it had struck"  
"So Potter's a dark wizard now, a shame, I thought he was a nice chap."  
"Indeed, parseltongue, how unexpected..." Samuel replied, looking at his wand.

The attacks continued with Justin being petrified, along with the Gryffindoor ghost before the holidays came. Samuel was back at Bones Manor, bored, but deep in thought.  
"Susan, if I work for a dark wizard, I must look the part, I require a darker look."  
"What?"  
"If Potter is a dark wizard, and I am bound to him, I must also be dark, no?"  
"I'm not sure, though at the end of the day, it is probably your choice."  
"Well I am a man of my word, and I swore an oath to choose him."  
"So what do you need for a dark look?"  
"You could grow your hair out I suppose, Megan and Hannah are better than me at this sort of thing, so is Lavender Brown in Gryffindor house." Susan pondered, but Samuel was already flooing to The Cave, the Mason Family Manor. Within an hour, Susan and Samuel were surrounded by half of the girls in the year, all discussing what 'a dark look' is.  
"You'd think they'd be scared being with a self-proclaimed dark wizard" Susan uttered  
"That is because I am not a dark wizard Susan, I am a light wizard, acting dark" Samuel replied  
"So a grey wizard then" Megan uttered  
"No, that sounds too pretentious. Grey wizard, whatever next." Samuel scoffed. By the end of the day, Samuel's dark look was complete. Lavender Brown had come through and recommended an eye liner charm 'Guy-Liner is all the rage Lord Armstrong-Mason', Samuel had a cane at the suggestion of Padma Patil, who had seen Lord Malfoy using one, Tracey had suggested he throw errant hexes as the less pure blooded members of the group. Samuel had also altered his Hogwarts robes to be a darker shade of black, to really let people know he was dark. Susan was not convinced he was dark, but Megan murmured that she was glad goth was coming back.

"Jesus Christ Samuel, you look terrifying."  
"Is it the darker shade of black?"  
"It's the whole ensemble really"  
"Oh right, well, I do alologise if I hex you periodically, you are a filthy muggleborn after all Hopkins."  
"Oh, fair enough then." Said Wayne, who then dodged a tickling hex.

As May came, a 4th attack occurred, this time, against one of Potters own allies, the muggleborn Hermione Granger, as well as a prefect Penelope Clearwater.  
"I suppose it wasn't Harry then" Samuel said dejectedly  
"Do I stop getting hexed now?" Wayne asked  
"Your shielding has gotten very good, filth"  
"As has your pureblood spiel, you'd fit right in with the Slytherins"  
"Did you see the latest message on the walls? The monster took a student into the chamber, people are trying to work out who it is!" shouted one of the upper years  
"When did that happen?" Ernie Macmillan asked  
"This afternoon!"  
"I do apologise for hexing you Hopkins, but you understand why"  
"Of course Sam" Wayne replied, the hexes Sam threw at him were underpowered and more often minor jinxes, the boys shook hands, then they were magically wrenched from the room.  
"Oh no." Said Susan.


	9. Chapter 9: The Chamber of Secrets

Samuel and Wayne found themselves in a dark, debris-ridden tunnel, a pile of boulders in front of them, Harry Potter bellowing at it, Samuel and Wayne looked on, recovering from their transport.  
"RON!"  
"HARRY?!"  
"Are you alright?!"  
"Yeah, got Lockheart with me too, he doesn't remember anything!"  
"You try and clear some of this debris"  
"Okay, I don't suppose that sword-bloke of yours has come?"  
"Hello Weasley" Samuel said "Hopkins, would you awfully mind helping him clear some of this rubble would you? I don't assume there is any other way out, Lord Potter and I shall advance ahead."  
"Sure thing Sam, hi Harry!"

Harry and Samuel went further down the tunnel until they hit a very impressive door. Harry hissed at it and it opened. Samuel drew his sword and wand as they entered. The chamber was huge, with massive stone statues of snakes lining the walls, all leading up to an enormous stone face, with a pond in front of it. Before the pond lay an unmoving, redheaded body.  
"Ginny!" Harry called, running the length of the chamber at an admirable speed "Please don't be dead, please don't be dead…"  
"She won't wake you know"  
"Tom? Tom Riddle? What do you mean she won't wake?"  
"She's still alive, but only just" said a Slytherin student, walking out of the shadows. He was handsome, looked like a 5th year or above.  
"Are you a ghost?"  
"A memory, preserved in a diary for 50 years."  
"How very odd, how did you come to be in the diary Mr Riddle?" Samuel inquired  
"And you are?"  
"Lord Armstrong-Mason"  
"Impossible, there is no way the Ancient and Noble Houses of Armstrong and Mason would merge. Are you some filthy up-jumped mudblood? Having that undeserving Half-Blood in Salazar's noble chamber is bad enough."  
"Oh, this is the Chamber of Secrets? He did really love snakes didn't he." Looking around at all the snake themed architecture. Riddle moved to pick up Harry's wand, but Samuel disarmed him immediately and Harry's wand flew across the chamber, Samuel cast a stunner at riddle, but it passed straight through him.  
"Your magic, pureblooded or not, cannot harm me until I drain Ginny of her life force, and the heir of Slytherin, the most powerful sorcerer in the world, shall truly return!" Tom looked very excited and a little smug, before Harry Replied  
"Albus Dumbledore is the greatest sorcerer in the world!"  
"Dumbledore has been driven out of this castle by the very memory of me!"  
"He'll never be gone, not while those that remain are loyal to him"  
"Hear, Hear. I suppose, my loyalty is to Lord Potter more." Samuel added. A phoenix call sounded, and the headmaster's familiar dropped the sorting hat in front of Harry  
"So this is what Dumbledore sends his great champion, an idiot, a bird, and an old hat. You mentioned the theme Armstrong-Mason, but he also left the king of the serpents here! _Speak to me Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts four!_ "  
"Greatest? Were they not all equals, was that not the point?"  
"How did you understand Salazars noble tongue?"  
"You're a parselmouth too Sam?" Harry blinked in surprise then turned to the statue, whose mouth opened, and a violent hissing sounded.  
" _Kill the hatchlings_ " Riddle called "Parseltongue won't save either of you, it only obeys me."  
"Grab Ginny and get her back to Ron and Wayne, then we'll take these two together?"  
"Of course, my Lord" he said, putting his sword away and hoisting Ginny over his shoulder, then began splashing off down the chamber. In the meantime, Fawkes was attacking the Basilisk's head and eyes, and it screamed in pain.  
"You there, drop the girl, NO! The Basilisk may not be able to see you, but it can still HEAR you!" Tom shouted at Samuel, then at Harry, who ran into a side tunnel. Samuel exited the chamber and dropped Ginny off with Wayne.  
"Weasley! Hopkins, I have Ginevra Weasley, once there is a clearing through the boulders, take her and yourselves out of the chamber, I must go to assist Lord Potter with Lord Slytherin." Before Wayne or Ron could reply, Samuel had run back to the great door, which had closed. Pausing, he clutched his wand and tried to remember what Potter had said.  
" _Open"_

When Samuel got back, he found Potter standing on top of Rock-Slytherin's head, clutching a shiny sword, trying to fend off the Basilisk, to little or no avail.  
"Your Lord is doomed, my diary has succeeded, even with little Ginny far off, I can still draw on her power, then, I will kill you myself."  
Samuel looked to the diary, and cast a bombardment hex  
"You fool, that diary is impervious to all but the most powerful magic."  
Samuel cast more spells, flame conjuring, lesser bombardment, stunning, he slashed and stabbed at it with his darksteel sword, to no avail. He tried channeling fire onto his sword, then stabbing the diary, still nothing. He thought through his knowledge of spells, thinking of the most destructive spell he knew, and could cast. The killing curse was too powerful, and fiendfyre was too uncontrollable, unless… Samuel put away his wand while Riddle/Slytherin jibed and insulted him, he poured magic into his sword, and muttered the incantation  
"Fiendfyre"

His sword lit up with dark flames, channelled along the blade, the magic was limited to the sword, but it did not stop the sword try to get away from him. He could feel the immense heat coupled with the immense draw on his magic, and he thrust the sword into the diary, and blacked out.

Samuel woke up, 4 heads looking down at him, Lord Potter, Hopkins, two redheads, Susan? No, Weasleys, darker ginger, Mr and Miss.  
"Are you alright?" all four asked at once  
"I am fine, Riddle, the Basilisk?  
"Both screamed when you stabbed the diary with your flaming sword, Riddle faded away and the Basilisk just, fainted, I suppose the word is."  
"Blimey, a real life Basilisk, we should put it out of its misery." Ron suggested  
"It's too dangerous to be kept alive" Harry added  
"It has no killing gaze anymore, and it is not being controlled by a madman either." Wayne countered, looking to Samuel for support.  
"I told you I am ambivalent about snakes Hopkins, and there is no way I can use something that big as a familiar"  
"What if we shrunk it? And bound its will to yours?"  
"I have no magic left"  
"Harry, Ron?"  
"We're gonna let it live Harry?"  
"I… I don't believe it can be responsible for its actions"  
"It petrified Hermoine"  
"But it didn't kill her"  
"I think it should live" Ginny stated, "I'll help bind it if you want, I'm so sorry"  
"It wasn't your fault Ginny" they all said together (well, Samuel said Ginevra, but the point stands)  
"Ron, use Lockhearts wand, on three, the shrinking charm, one, two, THREE" They all cast the charm, and the Basilisk shrank down, and down, until it was a metre long.  
"Not that I don't want a magically resistant, deadly poison strewing, albeit blind familiar, does anyone else want to bind it to them?" Samuel asked  
"You killed its last master, and I don't think anyone other than you or Harry has the willpower to control it." Ginny pointed out "Thanks for that, I formally acknowledge the life debt I owe to you, Lord Harry Potter"  
"A life debt? I don't want you in my debt Ginny"  
"Clear it, by ordering her to help bind the basilisk then" Wayne suggested, and both Weasley and Potter visibly deflated in relief "We'd better do this before Sam blacks out again"  
Samuel groaned, and they bound the mini-Basilisk to Samuel.  
"Ooh, warm" Sam giggled uncharacteristically and fainted away, leaving the snake and master both unconscious and bound together.

Samuel woke up a few days later  
"Mr Armstrong-Mason, I am glad to see you up, you have been out for days with magical exhaustion, I don't know what you boys did down there in the chamber, but you were all exhausted, Mr Weasley and your Mr Hopkins were in for the night, Mr Potter for 2 whole days, and Miss Weasley is still bed bound over there."  
"Is he up? Is the boy who helped Harry awake?" a plump, curly-haired lady, assumedly Mrs Weasley charged over and smothered Samuel with a huge hug "I must thank Harry again too"  
"Wasn't anything Maam, I must get back to my business, I have been unconscious for days"  
"Professor Dumbledore would like to see you in his office this evening Lord Armstrong-Mason, and he'd like you to bring Mr's Hopkins, Potter and Weasley along as well."  
"As you wish Madam"  
"SAM, SAM!" Wayne came in shouting "Susan found out!"  
"If you'll excuse me Madam Pomfrey, Mrs Weasley" Samuel said "Do you think the Rock will be safe enough?" Samuel referred to the Mason family fortress.  
"What about me?" Wayne Panted "I'm not a Mason by blood OR marriage"  
"I apologise that I seek to only marry women, Hopkins"  
"You could blood adopt me"  
"I could I suppose, but I have enough issues as it is without attending school with my son."  
"Oh, I nearly forgot, I was looking after her for you" Wayne handed Samuel the long blanket he had under his arm. "I've gotta run and hide, see you later" Wayne ran off.

Samuel looked at the blanket in an alcove, he felt a warmth, not a heat, but a magical warmth, almost a tug on his soul, and the blanket fell, scarred, blind eyes stared into his own, somehow still seeing him, surrounded by dark grey scales.

His familiar hissed.


End file.
